For those in the know, this is an amusing collection of demos, outtakes and six tracks from the Special Collector’s EP, the band’s sole release. An essential part of the Gillan catalogue.

To those not in the know, it could easily be hilarious, irrelevant, drivel or just plain strange.

The Split Knee Loons were, basically, Gillan without Ian Gillan, the band filling studio time under pseudonyms and swapping instruments. Pianist Colin Towns, aka Cosmo Toons, was the only one to continue on his own instrument, to keep some cohesiveness.

One for the collection, definitely.

4/5 or 1/5, depending on beer consumption.

Joe Geesin, www.getreadytorock.com (May 2008)

…hilarious sweepings off the floor that presumably comprise every salvageable recording the Gillan members’ alter egos made

Jo-Ann Greene, www.allmusic.com

…an oddly listenable load of old bollocks in the spirit of The Goons, Monty Python and the Bonzos…

Danny Moore, RocknReel (August 2008)

…lots of Pythonesque silly voices, monologues and the odd song or two…

Classic Rock Society (August 2008)

If you like the inspired lunacy of Frank Zappa then I can imagine there’s something you’ll enjoy on this collection…